Bryce Harper: 'I'd vote for Chipper'

Bryce Harper has made every effort to defer to veteran players since joining the Washington Nationals.

He extended that deference to 40-year-old Chipper Jones on Sunday.

Pitted against the Atlanta Braves' legend in Major League Baseball's "final vote" for the last National League All-Star roster spot, Harper, 19, did not hesitate in standing down to the future Hall of Famer who happens to be more than twice his age:

"I'd vote for Chipper."

So said Harper after his Nationals beat Jones' Braves 8-4 on Sunday to extend their advantage in the NL East. On a day temperatures reached 105 degrees in Atlanta, Harper had one hit in four at-bats, is hitting .274 and has an .819 on-base plus slugging (OPS).

Jones? He had an RBI double and is hitting .292 with an .830 OPS in what he says is his final major league season.

So, says Harper, via Amanda Comak of the Washington Times: "I think a Hall of Famer should be able to go to the All-Star game his last year. If I was going to vote, I'd go vote for Chip."

Of course, it will be up to online voters to determine who goes to Kansas City as the final NL All-Star, Harper's deference notwithstanding.

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